MAC Archies girls haul, swatches, photos and FOTD

 Hello all, I could not resist this collection because I was pretty well obsessed with Archie comics when I was a kid. Part of me thought maybe I should pass since I'm a grown up now but then I saw the color story and everything that is in Betty's collection just called my name.

So here we go, $240 CAD later...

 

 I got flatter me pearl matte, veronica's blush pearlmatte, cream soda blush, lord it up pearlglide eyeliner, summer sweetheart lipglass, betty bright lipstick and caramel sundae eyeshadow quad.

This is mainly just a photo swatch post, but I am going to be doing a comparison post soon.
I know there are many swatches floating around out there already, but in case you want to see how they look on super pale skin NC10/NC15 then this is for you. My camera likes to pick up odd cool/warm tones so they are not the most accurate of swatches but I tried to capture how the products look on me.

Betty bright lipstick:

 

Swatches betty bright lipstick (top) and  summer sweetheart lipglass (bottom) :

 

 wearing Betty Bright lipstick :

Wearing summer sweetheart lipglass:

 

 lord it up pearlglide swatch :

Caramel sundae quad swatches :

 Veronicas blush pearlmatte swatch  (this one is not nearly matte!) :

 Flatter me pearlmatte swatch :

cream soda blush swatch  (this was sooo pigmented I was shocked!) :

  

 My 'Betty' FOTD (breakdown below) :

Eyes:
- MAC bare study paint pot
-caramel sundae quad

- lord it up pearlglide

- prestige my biggest lashes mascara
- MAC brow pencil lingering
- MAC prep & prime highlighter radiant rose

Face:
- Revlon Colorstay foundation normal/dry 110 ivory

- MAC careblend powder light  

Cheeks :

- Cream soda blush (on apples)

- flatter me pearlmatte (lightly over top cream soda blush)

 Lips: 

- summer sweetheart lipglass

What did you think of the Archie's girls collection? Did you want/get anything from it?

Kat Von D forever & never foiled love lipstick swatches and photos

Kat Von D foiled love lipstick is a super metallic, frosty formula. It is much different from the regular lipsticks (I love) which are either matte or satin type finishes.
The packaging is also different from the regular line, it's metallic silver with white rose designs. I always love KVD packaging!

I don't really go for frosty lip colors, but this was a gift so I thought I should try it out.
Forever and never looked like it would suit me better than any of the other foiled love colors. It's described as a 'metallic golden  peach'. I would say it's an accurate description.

swatch of forever and never foiled love lipstick:

It almost has a peach/bronze duochrome look to it. It's frosty - big time. It's not extremely pigmented in one go, but 2 layers gives you rich dimensional color.

wearing forever & never :

The redness in my lips makes this look more bronze, and very warm. It was a change from my usual nude colors that I wear. I am just not loving it on me.
I'm not sure if it was just mine or if all the foiled love lipsticks have a sort of waxy old lipstick smell? None of my other KVD lipsticks have this. Maybe I just got a bad one.

What do you think about frost lipstick colors? Love them or hate them?

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics lip tar in tone swatches & photos

Believe it or not, I never tried OCC lip tars until a couple months ago. They are super popular, I had to see what all the fuss was about.
I chose the color 'tone' because it looked gorgeous, I have been looking for a nice nudish white lip color for a while.

Tone is a whitened up clean pink. No brown or purple tones. It can make you look very washed out.

Swatches of tone:

Erm, I didn't like this color on me. It looked pretty gross, I won't lie. It made me look a bit ill and settled into lip lines. I loved the rich pigment and lasting power, but that's where it ended.

I had no idea that lip tars contained a lot of peppermint oil. Why? I don't know, but I really wish it didn't.
I find mint extract in lip products to irritate and dry my lips. That is exactly what happened after I used this lip tar.

OCC lip tar ingredients: (click on pic to enlarge)

I wish OCC would make a mint-free version, then I would be very happy.

Is anyone else out there sensitive to mint extract in cosmetics?

Sleek liqueur lipstick photos and swatches

 I've had this lipstick for a while and just found the swatches I took of it, it is really such a great color.


Sleek lipsticks are packaged nicely in little black rubberized cases that are similar to NARS lipsticks.

If you are looking for an everyday go with everything color, this just might be it.
It's a nice neutral beige with slight gold pearl. It sort of reminds me of  MAC viva glam V (swatch here)

Swatch of Sleek  liqueur:

Wearing  Sleek  liqueur:

The finish is a nice creamy satin, and feels moisturizing on. Unfortunately lasting power isn't the greatest, so it needs to be reapplied often.

Do you have an everyday go-to lipstick? Tell me! Mine is MAC blankety :)

My summer beauty favorites!

 I thought I'd do a little post on all my favorite makeup I've been using this summer. All products in this post I use daily or at least once per week. I'll list everything and why I'm loving it :

 Left to right:

• NARS larger than life lipgloss in Tiber ~ perfect nude color, awesome formula not too sticky and actually moisturizing!
• MAC prep + prime BB beauty balm spf 35PA+++ ~ Amazing product! I am using the Asian version currently, it's almost the same as the U.S. just has different sunscreen actives. I was using products with SPF 15 but realized I need more SPF than that (my skin was getting irritated by the sun). So this beauty balm (not to be confused with BB cream!) is sheer and non greasy, providing a perfect base for makeup with SPF 35. On good skin days I use it by itself, just evens everything out and gives a slight glow.
• Biotherm multi-proctection SPF 30 eye contour cream ~ Awesome eye cream with SPF. It's fast absorbing and moisturizing, perfect under makeup.
• Burberry Brit EDP ~ I got this by accident, and I'm glad I did because I love it! I picked this up in a sleep deprived haze - thought it was Burberry the Beat (which I also adore!) and once I tried it I thought I may as well keep it. It's grown on me.. it smells warm, clean, sweet and summery. 
• Cover Girl lash blast mascara waterproof ~ I only use this when I need to since it's hard to remove, but it stays all day and is truly water resistant!
• Cover Girl liquiline blast brown blaze ~ The most perfect brown liner I've ever used! I'm not exaggerating. The color is gorgeous and doesn't have shimmer so it's great for the waterline. I like this for the summer because it isn't harsh like black can be.
• MAC penultimate eyeliner rapid black ~ I've been searching for a liner like this forever. I can actually make a tiny, small line with this! I love using it on the top lash line to add just a little bit of fullness to my lashes without having to make a thick line.

 

• Wet n Wild vanity palette  ~ Love this! I like to use the matte colors for a subtle look somedays, and for a more smoky eye I put the shimmery brown over MAC constructivist paint pot and it looks amazing... try it!
• MAC MSF semi precious crystal pink ~ I'm really sad this is limited edition because it's the perfect summer blush and highlighter in one. I use this a lot, the middle gives a light bronze/pink blush and the outside gives a shimmery beige highlight. It's perfect.
• MAC constructivist paint pot ~ Gorgeous deep brown with reddish undertones. I use this one a lot too. I like to layer shimmery taupes and browns over it for a smoky eye.
• Maybelline 24 hr eye tattoo in bad to the bronze ~ Another amazing color. It's the one thing I must say you need for summer. Some days when I want a minimal look thats fast and easy I just use this all over the lid with some mascara and I'm good to go. It's the perfect champagne taupe color, not too dark or too light. The best thing is that it stays all day and doesn't crease or travel.
• MAC lipstick blankety ~ This has become my favorite lipstick ever. It goes with everything, It also makes lips look plump.
• Urban Decay naked palette ~ (Forgot to take a pic!) This is my go-to palette most days. I love it.

One of my favorite summer polishes is Illamasqua Milf. I love it! Sorry for the blurry pic, was holding my baby and trying to aim the camera with the same arm.

 

Here is my summer FOTD, very basic and neutral. I'm spending a lot of time outside so I look really tan..wow.
My FOTD:
face:
- MAC prep + prime beauty balm
- Revlon Colorstay in buff (a whole shade darker than the usual ivory! )
- MAC MSF crystal pink
eyes:
- Urban Decay naked palette: naked (lid), buck (crease & lower lash line), sin (blended above crease), virgin (to highlight).
- Armani eyes to kill mascara (review coming soon!)
- Annabelle brow pencil taupe
lips:
NARS larger than life l/g Tiber

Well I hope you are all having a great summer. My family and I are enjoying it, looking forward to holidays in a few weeks as well.
Let me know what your favorite summer beauty products are! Especailly any skin care and foundations, always up for trying new things :)

Maybelline superstay 14 HR lipstick in beige forgood photos and swatches

Well now, I think I have a new favorite lipstick! This color is fabulous. The formula is decent. The price is right!

These new Maybelline superstay lipsticks don't hold up for 14 hrs unless you don't eat or drink anything while wearing them. Otherwise, on me they last about 4-6 hours which is pretty good for a drugstore lipstick.
Beige forgood - is pretty well my new favorite go-to nude. It's the perfect mix of beige brown and pink. It's natural, subtle and looks great with pale skin. It does carry a slight hint of grey, just a warning it could look corpse like on some complexions.

So many nude colors turn awful shades of orange, bright pink or mud on me. This one is perfection.

Beige forgood swatch:

Wearing beige forgood:

Of course hardly anything is perfect, but this is close. My only dislike is the fragrance. It is really different from anything I've smelled in a lipstick before. It's sweet yet strong and chemically, not pleasant. But the good thing is that it fades after a while.

The finish is really nice, not totally matte, more like a MAC satin finish.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that this color is similar to Guerlain divinora deep and matte #480, discontinued and rare shade - and yes one of Angelina Jolie's favorite lipsticks. Beige forgood is possibly a smidge cooler but really, it's similar! The Guerlain is absolutely more matte in finis.

Comparison pic (Guerlain was taken without flash)

Edited to add:
Other lipsticks beige forgood is similar to is MAC our pick and fondle. I think fondle is more brown, but beige forgood and our pick are super close.

Comparison:

If you are looking for a new nude lipstick I highly reccomend checking this color out! It's quite inexpensive too at $9 CAD.

MAC Pro longwear lipcreme in till tommorow photos & swatches

Here is one of my go-to daily lipsticks, MAC till tomorrow lipcreme. I wear this quite often, hence the dirty looking tube - it's just from my foundation getting on it.

Till tomorrow is described as 'greyed mauvy brown'. I agree that it does look like that in the tube and when first applied but; it oxidizes into a more rosy pink toned color after a while.
I'm not sure if it's just this color, or maybe I got a bad one? Has anyone else noticed their pro longwear lipcreme change colors after wearing for a half hour or so?

Swatch of till tomorrow:

I like the pro longwear formula, but I can tell you right now that it does not last anywhere near 12 hours as claimed! I've tried wearing it with different liners, primers you name it and still, the longest it lasts on me is 3 hours.

On the plus side, it has a lovely vanilla scent like most MAC lip products and doesn't dry out my lips at all. The texture of lipcremes is somewhere between a lustre and a satin finish.

Wearing till tommorow:

All swatches and pics were taken right after applying. When I have more time I will take more pics to show the color change after a half an hour or so.

I'm not sure if I want to try any more of these lipsticks. I really wish it lasted longer and didn't change color on me.
I would love to hear your thoughts on these, anyone else have the same problem?

Kat Von D lolita lipstick photos and swatches

I love my KVD painted love lipsticks. They are perfectly formulated to stay on nicely and they don't dry my lips out one bit.

Lolita is on the creamy side, not matte at all. More like a MAC amplified cream finish.
The color is described as 'dusty rose'. I am slightly put off because on me, this is absolutely not dusty rose.


Lolita lipstick is more ' light warm red' than anything. Very warm. In the container, it looks more pink than it is.
If you want dusty rose, I'd say lovecraft lipstick is closer to that color, it's my absolute favorite from the line.

swatch of Lolita:

It's pretty, just not the color I expected :/ I don't like overly warm colors on my skin tone.

Wearing lolita:

I now need to track down KVD Mi Vida Loca lipstick, which is a brown beige. It's discontinued, any help finding it would be appreciated :)

MAC velvet teddy lipstick photos and swatches

I'm on a matte lipstick kick. They wear much longer than glossy colors, which is handy when you don't have time to reapply every 2 hours.
I am enjoying deeper nudes and neutrals this season, and I thought velvet teddy would make a nice addition to my collection.

MAC says it's 'deep-tone beige'. I'd say it's more dusty rose beige. Either way, it's a nice beige color. Fairly neutral, but leans warm.

Velvet teddy swatch:

wearing velvet teddy :

I like this color but I'm not in love with it. MAC why are your lipsticks so drying? I mean to the point that my lips hurt. Maybe I'm allergic.
I am very in love with my Kat Von D lipstick in lovecraft, which I wear practically every single day. It's more mauve than beige and it suits me better. Maybe I'll just stick with that for the rest of my life... hmm I doubt it!

Gosh velvet touch lipstick swatches nougat and cappuchino

Above: L Nougat and R Cappuchino

I got these lipsticks a while ago, they were limited edition for Spring 2011.
The quality of these mimics MAC's lustre formula, with an opaque slightly glossy finish.
I only wish that they stayed on longer, they need to be reapplied often.

Swatches: L to R nougat and cappuchino

Nougat is a very warm reddish brown. It would suit warmer complexions very nicely. It looks kind of 'off' on my pale face. It reminds me of Laura Mercier lipstick in discretion.

Cappucino is a light beige/greyed taupe that I absolutely adore! It looks very similar to MAC fresh brew. Sorry I don't have swatches of fresh brew but you can see that it also looks a bit like MAC to pamper lipstick (swatch here).

Cappuccino:

nougat:

I like these but I don't love them.

Lately I'm preferring long wearing lipsticks and liners to last through my shift at work. Any recommendations for lippies that stay on nicely are appreciated ;)